For second year in a row, Nissan Design America receives Mexican design students

Nissan Design America (NDA) and Rigoletti Casa de Diseño have announced the continued strengthening of collaboration ties between both institutions. NDA received, at its Modeling Center for the design of automotive prototypes located in Mexicali, Oscar Ortega and Marco Antonio Juárez, both students from Rigoletti Casa de Diseño, who will do an internship at these facilities.

This new step shows Nissan Design America’s interest in supporting the development of talent and creativity of Mexican designers from educational institutions in the country.

Through its facilities complex in Mexicali, NDA will allow Rigoletti students to use most advanced modeling technology of the Americas region used for Nissan’s global design operations along with computer-assisted design stations and a metal and wood workshop.

Both students could collaborate together with Nissan Design America in the development of creative ideas for future products.

These initiatives of development national talent are relevant, especially in this year (2011) which Nissan Mexicana celebrates 50 years, and in which four models have been announced to be launched: Nissan March (subcompact), Nissan Juke (sport crossover), Nissan LEAF (electric) and L02B (compact). The creation of new ideas for development of new products will allow Nissan to keep current on future mobility.

“It is a completely different and enriching experience. To work at an automotive design center and to be involved in projects such as the ones undertaken in NDA is extraordinary, as well as to be able to collaborate with experienced designers from whom we are learning day after day”, said Oscar Ortega, from Rigoletti Casa de Diseño.

With this kind of activities, Nissan reaffirms its commitment to Mexico by developing the domestic talent of students so that they can become world class professional designers with experience in the automotive sector.

Nissan has worked with higher education institutions to develop design and similar careers to create a link with the labor environment, to launch challenges and, therefore, strengthen automotive industry with renowned automotive designers.

“We have found a nest of cutting edge artists with great talent and creativity. For NDA it is very important to welcome Rigoletti students as interns in our modeling center in Mexicali, since not only can we bring them close to a real working environment, but this also opens a door for NDA to understand the design market needs in Mexico and South America”, said Alfonso Albaisa, Vice president of Nissan Design America.

It was not until 2007 that NDA announced a first call for industrial design students to resolve a future mobility challenge under real operation conditions at a low cost. The response was very satisfactory, and more challenges have derived from this particular one focused on creating solutions through an attractive, functional, low cost, innovative and original design for Latin American markets.

About Nissan Mexicana Nissan Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., is a subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., which settled in Mexico in 1961. It has corporate, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution and design facilities in cities like Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Cuernavaca and Toluca. Currently, it employs over 9,800 workers and employees. In 2009, it marketed 156,186 vehicles with a 20.7% market share, and manufactured 355,414 units for the domestic and export markets, and it consolidated as the automotive industry leader. Until December 2010, it had marketed 189,518 vehicles for a 23.1% market share and produced 506,490 units. Nissan is focused on the improvement of the environment through the Nissan Green Program, whose objective is the reduction of CO2 emissions and the increase of recycling. Likewise, the ANDANAC/Nissan Foundation manages a Social Support Fund for the construction of public elementary schools. In an eight-year span, 63 schools have been built and equipped for the benefit of over thirty thousand children from low-income families across the nation.